9 December 2020

Forsee Power to supply battery systems for major Japanese manufacturer Kubota

Paris, December 9, 2020 – Forsee Power, the expert in smart battery systems for the electromobility markets, was selected by Kubota, the Japanese OEM, as their partner for the battery development to equip their micro hybrid engines for light construction and agriculture vehicles. Kubota is the global leader in industrial engines below 100 HP and also one of the major manufacturers in off-highway vehicles. More than half of their engines are sold to other OEMs and exported. The Japanese group is a leader in the energy transition of its sector. This is the first significant deal for Forsee Power on the highly growing off-highway market.

Driven by its strong expertise in developing battery systems and leveraging the availability of a comprehensive offer for the electromobility markets, Forsee Power will develop the battery solution for Kubota’s 48V Micro-Hybrid Engine.

One single LTO 48V-battery to hybridize a wide range of off-highway vehicles

Pure electrification is not the only possible solution to meet emission reduction targets. Hybridization is also an effective and viable approach for many vehicle categories.

After a year of research and development, Forsee Power engineers developed a new high-power Forsee Pulse solution integrating lithium titanate oxide (LTO) cells known for their long lifespan and very high-power characteristics, ideal for the hybrid applications. It has been designed to comply with the ambitious Kubota’s specifications, which include battery installations in various types of vehicles of the customers, such as machinery for construction, agriculture, material handling.

«We are very excited to work along with Kubota, one of the global leaders in the off-highway vehicles market. This is an important step forward for us in this promising market, and also the first development project for a Japanese client, who is known to manufacture very high-quality products. It’s a big achievement, and our team is extremely motivated to go beyond Kubota’s expectations » explains Sébastien Rembauville-Nicolle, General Manager of Business Development for Forsee Power.

Scalable production capacities to meet the growing demand from manufacturers

The Forsee Power Group has a strong industrial footprint designed to support its customers’ needs globally. The manufacturing sites in Europe (France and Poland) and in Asia (China and India) host automated battery assembly lines whose production capacities – currently 1 GWh – increase annually to serve the strong demand for both heavy and light electromobility.

Contributing to a better environment and to better work conditions in the construction and agriculture industries

Committed to mitigate climate change with zero-emission solutions to power mobility, Forsee Power has made off-highway vehicles a key area of development for 2021. The electrification of this market is expected to multiply by 7 in the next 7 years1 and will have a great impact on people and the environment. Indeed, the battery is not just about reducing CO2 emission; it also improves overall health conditions at work as it does not emit any noise or vibration. It will forge the path to revolutionize the health and well-being of millions of workers worldwide.

Kubota’s Micro Hybrid Engine that will be powered by the Forsee Power battery system (photo provided by Kubota Corporation).

Read also